Beaufort County EMS faces big schedule changes

BEAUFORT COUNTY, SC. (WTOC) - Big changes are coming to Beaufort County EMS as the agency struggles to fill jobs.

Starting next year, workers will be given an extra day off after working a 24-hour shift.

WTOC spoke with them about the change and what they’re doing to ensure they still get to people quickly in an emergency.

Currently, employees who work with Beaufort County EMS work one 24-hour shift and then are off two straight days.

Officials hope that by adding this extra off day, it serves to create a better work-life balance, but also serves as a recruiting tool.

This change comes after a workforce study was done by the state EMS association in 2017, after seeing a nationwide shortage in paramedics and EMTs.

They looked into what was causing people to leave the profession and they found that a lot of departments were understaffed.

However, the departments that were fully staffed and were succeeding were using the 24-72 schedule.

Officials in Beaufort County say that since they made the announcement of going to that schedule, they have seen an influx of people wanting to work with them and are excited for the future of the department.

“It just gives people a chance to enjoy their hobbies, to have that distressing time from the stress we do endure here. You see some people during some of the greatest times of their life, but also in not good times, so it does wear on you mentally and physically,” said Beaufort County EMS Paramedic Crew Chief, AJ Drake.

Drake says that even though employees will be getting an extra day off, it won’t affect response time and the department’s ability to respond when the need arises.

“There’s always someone who is going to come to you,” Drake said.

Drake says if more people are hired by the end of the year, they could make the schedule change sooner.

If you are interested in applying for a job with Beaufort County EMS, click here.

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